Is a Christian to feel guilt when he sins? Some say “No” pointing out the scripture that says the devil is our accuser (Rev. 12:10) and Rom 8:1 which says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus…” However, the rest of that scripture in King James, is often overlooked “…who walk not after the flesh , but after the Spirit.” (A more comfortable translation of the Bible leaves it off.) Wouldn’t there be condemnation for those who walk after the flesh? Since God corrects those he loves (Pr. 2:12), it is reasonable to assume that one cannot sin with reckless disregard.

It might be that we have some difference in interpretation of the word “condemnation.” I like the word “rebuke” better. But whatever you call it, a Christian cannot be comfortable in his/her sin. The Holy Spirit residing within teaches, guides, rebukes, maybe makes living a bit thorny for a while, giving you a chance to go to Jesus in repentance for strength to do better. Do you call that guilt? I do. I know when I have done wrong and I do feel bad (guilt) until I repent of my sin. Thankfully, Christ Jesus still makes intercession for me. He’s the Mediator, the Intercessor.

Why does he intercede for us if we don’t continue needing forgiveness for our sins? That’s not the “new” gospel regarding law and grace. I am not taking from his grace. His grace is the reason I can be forgiven. I just don’t believe I can support a gospel that says that when I am forgiven, I am not under “law” so I can do my own thing and his grace has covered it.

BUT ONCE A PERSON RECEIVES FORGIVENESS FOR HIS SIN, HE SHOULD NOT CONTINUE FEELING GUILTY!

GOD HAS CAST THAT SIN INTO THE SEA OF FORGETFULNESS AS FAR AWAY AS THE EAST IS FROM THE WEST.

Next question? Since I believe the blood of Jesus redeems one from sin and does away with the old nature and replaces it with his nature, can I still sin? If I can and do, why?

Three reasons – I will get to them later.

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About oneta hayes

ABOUT ME
Hello. To various folks I am Neat’nee, Mom, Grandma Neta, Gramma, Aunt Neta, Aunt Noni, Aunt Neno, and Aunt Neto (lots of varieties from little nieces and nephews). To some I’m more like “Didn’t you used to be my teacher?” or “Don’t I know you from someplace?” To you, perhaps, I am a Fellow Blogger. Not “fellow” like a male or a guy, but “fellow” like a companion or an adventurer. I would choose to be Grandma Blogger, and have you pull up a chair, my website before you, while I tell you of some days of yore. I have experienced life much differently than most of you. It was and is a good life. I hope to share nuggets of appreciation for those who have gone before me and those who come after me. By necessity you are among those who come after me and I will tell you of those who came before. Once upon a time in a little house on a prairie - oops, change that lest I commit plagiarism - and change that “house on the prairie” to “dugout on the prairie.” So my story begins...

17 Responses to SHOULD A CHRISTIAN FEEL GUILT?

Exactly Oneta! As in there seems to be a desire today amongst, what I call the “feel good” generation, to simply erase that little matter of guilt from sin—is that not the whole reason for Salvation? That we may be finally forgiven for our sins, sinful ways and sinful nature, as Jesus bridged the gap existing between God and His created after the Fall of Man (woman included).
So no there is not a pass of “you’re forgiven now so go out and sin it up cause it’s all good”
It doesn’t work like that.
Yet we are continually coming to the foot of the cross in totally contrition, imploring to be made whole…a life long process I believe….

Thanks, Julie. Your take on this is important to me. False doctrine is so deceitful. The love, freedom, grace doctrine is so, so, true – but it is not all the Truth. Recent cry is “relationship – not religion.” I agree. But where does “If you love me, keep my commandments,” come in. Of course, many only know two commandments – love God and love your neighbor as yourself. And that makes it easy to love yourself. And if we love ourselves….why change? If you have point of correction, please steer me in the right direction. We are quite a pair, aren’t we? We couldn’t have a more diverse religious background. But both know and love Jesus and want to be like him. God’s kids share a great family.

I’m just an Episcopalian who God bonked on the head a long time ago…he keeps bonking my head as it is often hard.
I married a Baptist so talk about a southern country Baptist walking into a big city cathedral for his wedding—I think if the truth be told, he would have run if he could… 🙂
but then we wouldn’t have just celebrated those 34 years now would we 😉

A true Christian who has the indwelling of the Holy Spirit would not be able to sin without feeling conviction over it. If you don’t feel conviction of your sins, I would question your salvation. 1 Timothy 4:2 states ” having their conscience seared with a hot iron; ” and because their conscience had been seered they were able to be full of hypocrisy and falsehoods, liars and heretics. If your conscience isn’t working properly you are not operating under the Spirit of God.

Greasy grace isn’t my cup of tea. Works aren’t my cup of tea either. I think that once you are saved BY GRACE through FAITH and are made a new creature in Christ it becomes evident BECAUSE when you sin you feel conviction. The conviction to me is evidence you are walking in the Spirit.

There’s a vast difference (I had to learn) between guilt feelings and true, moral guilt. One does not necessarily accompany the other, and the disconnect has to do, I am sure, with the Fall. However, guilt feelings for something about which one is truly guilty is actually the grace of God at work (in my opinion) even though we do all sorts of pop-psych things to tamp down those feelings, which cause problems later. Thanks for this!

I do know the devil can hound a person who has been forgiven. He delights in the torture, and leaves very confused and depressed emotions. Those MUST be recognized from the loving nudge, or bonks on the head as Julie said, that come from the Father. How long has it been, however, since you have heard that in a sermon. Maybe you, but not me. I am so glad I have access to the cross, and I know the delight of going there to dump that guilt.

Amen,Oneta. I try to distinguish guilt from toxic shame. Toxic shame is of the enemy, it is condemnation,it is refusing to accept forgiveness, it festers and it’s often entwined with pride. Guilt is simply our conscience, our sense of conviction, regret, Godly sorrow.

I think we’ve gotten them all confused because we’ve gotten so secular. Guilt without the Lord has nowhere to go so it soon becomes shame and then we try to blame the guilt itself for being the cause of our suffering.

I should have read your comment before answering dawnliz above. I could have referred her to your answer also. You are right. I had not thought of that kind of false guilt as shame. It is sad when one does not understand that Christ carried our shame with our sins. Most near makes me shout! Back to my shoutin’ days. 😀

There are two kinds of guilt, and they feel exactly the same. One kind of guilt is from God–the Holy Spirit convicts us of sinning against the commands of God and moves us to repent, which brings us to the promises of God. When we arrive at the cross, that godly guilt has done its work. The second kind of guilt comes from Satan. He continues accusing us of our sins to make us doubt redemption, forgiveness, and the victory of the cross. Although that kind of guilt feels like godly guilt, it is not from God if it brings us to doubt God and his promises. In those cases, the devil is like a dog dragging the garbage back from the curb and trying to bring it into the house. All we need to do is rebuke the devil, remind him and ourselves that Jesus has taken our sins away, and then go on with our lives. J.

God keeps us focused on what is before us(in the present, the Presence of God)…while Satan wooooes us to keep looking “back.” “Stand BEHIND me Satan”…hmmm, Jesus teaches us in such simply ways! Giggles. Hugs to you for the review lesson!

When we are born again and live in (Like a different Kingdom) Loving Christ absolutely means that we want our life always to be ‘free’ of sin – impossible in this world of life – therefore it is out of love for HIM we pray like the psalmist did for a ‘clean pure heart. This is ongoing repentance. The sins of the past are ‘under the blood’ cast into the deepest sea – only the devil would bring them up again.- We are a NEW CREATION being formed in Christ’s Image BUT……like Paul wrote….we keep on doing the human failure ‘thing’. Yes we do need to feel guilty about ongoing sins. We need lifetime repentance. The guilt should not bear us down like the devil’s reminders of the PAST. This guilt should constantly remind us that as ‘New CREATIONS born again in HIM’ He wants us to be perfected in His Image. (We’ll never make it this site of eternity but LOVING HIM we’ll keep on repenting. Forgiveness and Grace are His ongoing Gifts to all who follow HIM.
Thanks for the challenge Oneta.

I want to pay tribute to wonderful people I have known, the wonderful country in which I live, the communities in which I have lived, the churches who have claimed me as their own, the God who sends shivers down my back when I really give him a portion of my time—well, maybe not shivers but tears flow easily in some of those most priceless times.

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Oneta Hayes

Hello. To various folks I am Neat’ne, Mom, Grandma Neta, Gramma, Aunt Neta, Aunt Noni, Aunt Neno, and Aunt Neto (lots of varieties from little nieces and nephews). To some I’m more like “Didn’t you used to be my teacher?” or “Don’t I know you from someplace?” To you, perhaps, I am a Fellow Blogger. Not “fellow” like a male or a guy, but “fellow” like a companion or an adventurer. I would choose to be Grandma Blogger, and have you pull up a chair, my website before you, while I tell you of some days of yore. I have experienced life much differently than most of you. It was and is a good life. I hope to share nuggets of appreciation for those who have gone before me and those who come after me. By necessity you are among those who come after me and I will tell you of those who came before. Once upon a time in a little house on a prairie - oops, change that lest I commit plagiarism - and change that “house on the prairie” to “dugout on the prairie.” So my story begins.